The Ides of March were kind to Illinois sports betting apps, with the state setting a new handle record during the month.
Overall, the Prairie State raked in $1,072,701,361in wagers during the month, surpassing January’s state record of $1,070,033,292.
The handle total for March represented a 22.5% month-over-month increase from the $875,387,789 the state’s sportsbooks received in February and a 10.4% jump year-over-year (from $971,278,389 in 2022).
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The IL sports betting revenue figure in March came in at $97,159,642, up 42% from February and 60.3% year-over-year (from $60,629,327 in 2022). March’s revenue figure was the second biggest in state history, behind the $102,088,548 delivered in October 2022.
Overall, the state’s sports betting tax haul of $15,730,312 was up 42.4% from February’s total of $11,046,351, putting a final touch on a historic month.
The top sports for Illinois bettors in March were basketball ($509,290,178), tennis ($80,152,797), soccer ($41,446,963), hockey ($35,531,721) and baseball ($16,226,770). Other sports handle wrapped up at $55,563,058, while Illinois’ parlay handle wound up being $292,443,125.
Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY or Washington, DC. New users only. Must register using eligible promo code. First wager after registration must qualify. Min. Odds: -500. Max. Bonus Bet: $250. Awarded as non-withdrawable Bonus Bet that expires 14 days after receipt. Bonus Bet amount not returned for winning bets. Void where prohibited. See http://Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Know When To Stop Before You Start®. Gambling Problem? CO, IL, KY, MD, MI, MO, NJ, OH, TN, VA, WV, WY, KS (Affiliated with Kansas Crossing Casino), ME (Licensed through the Mi’kmaq Nation, Penobscot Nation, and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, federally recognized tribes located in the State of Maine), NC (Licensed through Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise), PA (Affiliated with Harrah's Philadelphia): If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) or MD: visit http://mdgamblinghelp.org or WV: visit http://1800gambler.net ; AZ: Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP; IN: Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT; IA: Call 1-800-BETSOFF; LA (Licensed through Horseshoe Bossier City and Caesars New Orleans), Washington, DC (OLG Class A licensed Operator): Call 1-800-522-4700. ©2025, Caesars Entertainment Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER DC, LA: Call 1-800-522-4700 MA: Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit http://gamblinghelplinema.org NY: Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369)
Illinois Sports Betting Handle, March vs. February
| Total handle | Mobile
Handle | Revenue |
|---|
| March | $1.073B | $1.037B | $97.160M |
| February | $875.388M | $847.357M | $68.423M |
| Change | Up 22.5% | Up 22.5% | Up
42.0% |
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Where Illinois’ March Handle Ranks Nationally
So far, Illinois’ March sports betting handle ranks second nationally, behind New York’s total of $1.792 billion and ahead of New Jersey’s $1.025 billion haul.
Illinois finished ahead of Nevada ($829.842 million) and Pennsylvania ($723.545 million), while newcomer Ohio ranked between those two, at $738.613 million during the third month of the year.
Through the first quarter of the year, Illinois sportsbooks have taken in 19.9% more in sports betting handle ($3,018,122,442) compared to the same period last year ($2,518,158,083).
Of Illinois’ five $1 billion handles, two have come in the first quarter of 2023, while the other three came in October ($1,029,615,448), November ($1,029,615,448) and December ($1,028,471,257) of last year.
The state ranks third nationally when it comes to the number of $1 billion handles, at five, coming in behind New York (14) and New Jersey (11), while ranking ahead of Nevada (four) and Ohio (one).
Illinois retail casinos had revenue of $131.0 million in March and $128.1 million in April. Legislation to approve online gambling in Illinois didn’t make much progress during the 2023 General Assembly session.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit http://gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY). Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new customer. Must register new account to receive reward Token. Must select Token BEFORE placing min. $5 bet to receive $200 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Min. -500 odds req. Token and Bonus Bets are single-use and non-withdrawable. Token expires 1/11/26. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: http://sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos . Ends 1/4/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.
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